Month: March 2026

Blind Trust in Healthcare Is Costing Employers Millions (Ep. 45)

Blind Trust in Healthcare Is Costing Employers Millions (Ep. 45)

Healthcare costs continue to rise, but many employers don’t realize how little oversight exists within their health plans.

In this episode of The Benefit Whisperer, Ralph Weber speaks with healthcare advocate and claims audit expert Kimberly Carleson about why employers should take a closer look at their healthcare claims.

Kimberly’s journey into healthcare advocacy began when her husband was diagnosed with stage-four metastatic bladder cancer. Doctors told her he had two years to live. Instead of accepting that prognosis, she sought second opinions and pushed for treatment.

Nineteen years later, her husband is still alive.

That experience opened her eyes to deeper problems in the healthcare system.

Today Kimberly works with employers to audit claims, uncover billing errors, and help plans regain control of their healthcare spending.

In this episode they discuss:

  • Why most healthcare claims go unchecked
    • The billing patterns that appear again and again
    • Why employers often don’t control their own data
    • How contracts can prevent oversight
    • What employers can do to regain control

This conversation highlights an uncomfortable truth: oversight in healthcare plans is often missing.

And employers are the ones paying the price.

​​​​​Ralph Weber
The Benefit Whisperer
www.thebenefitwhisperer.com
ralph@thebenefitwhisperer.com
(832) 924-3330

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The “HOME TEAM” Gets Paid 160x MORE. Is That Fair? (Ep. 45)

The “HOME TEAM” Gets Paid 160x MORE. Is That Fair? (Ep. 45)

In this episode of The Benefit Whisperer, Ralph Weber examines Tennessee’s proposed legislation, SB 2040 and HB 1959, aimed at preventing pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from owning pharmacies.

An audit from the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance found instances where a major PBM allegedly reimbursed its own pharmacy up to 16,000% more than independent pharmacies for the same drug. One example cited showed reimbursement of approximately $9,000 versus $57 for identical medication quantities.

Independent pharmacist and healthcare policy advocate Benjamin Jolley explains:

• The structure of SB 2040 and HB 1959
• How these bills mirror Arkansas Act 624
• The economic impact of PBM vertical integration
• What AWP and reimbursement pricing really mean
• Why small employers and self-funded plans could bear the cost
• Legal challenges surrounding similar legislation

This episode explores healthcare market concentration, employer plan costs, and patient access issues through a fact-based policy discussion.

If you’re responsible for healthcare spend, this conversation deserves your attention.

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🎙 Hosted by Ralph Weber
📌 The Benefit Whisperer